by Alix Messer |

There are many different Advanced Placement, AP, courses, ranging from art to biology to world history. Each AP course aims to get their students ready for the AP tests in May.

“[AP classes are] preparing you for the rigor that you’ll face in college,” counselor Melanie Prince said.

The AP art class, though, has a different kind of test to take, and is just one class that does not take a classic paper and pencil exam

“AP Studio Art is a class that requires students to complete a portfolio of 24 pieces to be judged by a committee of AP Art “Readers” in categories of breadth, concentration and quality,” art teacher Debra Martin said.

Art students prepare their art throughout the whole year in order to have it ready to be judged in May.

“The quality works are the five best works shipped to New York for actual judging,” Martin said.

AP art has a very different test than other AP classes. But the rigor of coursework in all AP classes is very similar.

One class, AP world history, is one of the first classes that can be taken by a sophomore. is generally taken by sophomores as their first AP class.

“I think that it, especially taking it in the tenth grade, is preparing me a lot for classes that I’ll take in the future,” sophomore Stefanie Flood said. “It also helps me in other classes.”

AP classes set the achievement bar high, and the more AP classes you take, the more work is involved. But one thing all AP students can agree on is the abundance of essays.

“We usually work on essays as a class and then he’ll have us do one during a test one week. We work on the structure of essays because there are three different types of essays we do in the AP World exam,” Flood said.

The amount of essays written also depends on how many AP classes a student is currently enrolled in.

“AP Gov essays are always relatively short (about five sentences) and aren’t worth many points. With AP Bio, though, it’s expected that essays are about a page long. However, grammar isn’t nearly as important as having an abundance of information,”  junior Caroline Abbott said. “The longest and most challenging essays I write are definitely in AP English, where we complete five paragraph essays (usually in class) once or twice a month.”

As many AP classes as there are, there is bound to be one for everyone where they can excel.

“If someone doesn’t do well with one AP class, there’s a good chance they’ll have better luck with a different subject,” Abbott said.

AP classes are not always fun and games. But as much work as there is, students enjoy their AP classes.

“This class is much more challenging than I thought it would be, but it’s certainly rewarding and definitely one of my favorite classes during the day,” Flood said.

It is good for a student to have an AP class in their belt, though.

“Taking [AP] classes and having less than perfect grades is better than not taking the advanced classes and having perfect grades,” Prince said.

Despite the workload of an AP class, it is worth its weight in gold to help prepare students for their high school and college career.